Karen Carpenter's calm, often somber voice was the most distinctive element of their music, settling in perfectly amidst the precise, lush arrangements provided by her brother Richard. The duo's sound drew more from pre-rock pop than rock & roll, but that didn't prevent the Carpenters from appealing to a variety of audiences, particularly Top 40, easy listening, and adult contemporary. While their popularity declined during the latter half of the '70s, they remained one of the most distinctive and recognizable acts the decade produced.
The Carpenters formed in the late '60s in Downey, CA, after their family moved from their native New Haven, CT. Richard had played piano with a cocktail jazz trio in a handful of local Connecticut nightclubs. Once the family had moved to California, he began to study piano while he supported Karen in a trio that featured Wes Jacobs (tuba/bass). With Jacobs and Richard forming her backup band, Karen was signed to the local Californian record label Magic Lamp, who released two unsuccessful singles by the singer. The trio won a Battle of the Bands contest at the Hollywood Bowl in 1966, which led to a record contract with RCA. Signing under the name The Richard Carpenter Trio, the group cut four songs that were never released. Jacobs left the band at the beginning of 1968.
Following Jacobs' departure, the siblings formed Spectrum with Richard's college friend John Bettis. Spectrum fell apart by the end of the year, but the Carpenters continued performing as a duo. The pair recorded some demos at the house of Los Angeles session musician Joe Osborn; the tape was directed toward Herb Alpert, the head of A&M Records, who signed the duo to his record label in early 1969.
Offering, the Carpenters' first album, was released in November 1969. Neither Offering or the accompanying single, a cover of the Beatles' "Ticket to Ride," made a big impression. However, the Carpenters' fortunes changed with their second single, a version of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "(They Long to Be) Close to You." Taken from the album Close to You, the single became the group's first number one, spending four weeks on the top of the U.S. charts. "Close to You" became an international hit, beginning a five-year period where the duo was one of the most popular recording acts in the world. During that period the Carpenters won two Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist of 1970, and had an impressive string of Top Ten hits, including "Rainy Days and Mondays," "Superstar," "Hurting Each Other," "Goodbye to Love," "Yesterday Once More," and "Top of the World."
After 1975's number-four hit "Only Yesterday," the group's popularity began to decline. For the latter half of the '70s, the duo were plagued by personal problems. Richard had become addicted to prescription drugs; in 1978, he entered a recovery clinic, kicking his habit. Karen, meanwhile, became afflicted with anorexia nervosa, a disease she suffered from for the rest of her life. On top of their health problems, the group's singles had stopped reaching the Top Ten and by 1978, they weren't even reaching the Top 40. Consequently, Karen decided to pursue a solo career, recording a solo album in 1979 with Phil Ramone. The record was not completed at that time (though it would be released in 1996), and she returned to the Carpenters later that year. The reunited duo released their last album of new material, Made in America, in 1981. The album marked a commercial comeback, as "Touch Me When We're Dancing" made it to number 16 on the charts. However, Karen's health continued to decline, forcing the duo out of the spotlight. On February 4, 1983, Karen was found unconscious at her parents' home in Downey; she died in the hospital shortly after due to cardiac arrest, which was later due to the strain on her heart caused by years of crash dieting caused by anorexia nervosa.
After Karen's death, Richard Carpenter concentrated on production work and assembling various compilations of the Carpenters' recorded work. In 1987, he released a solo album called Time, which featured guest appearances by Dusty Springfield and Dionne Warwick. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
from http://music.msn.com/artist/?artist=1607403&contenttype=artistsongs
Prime Time Love
Carpenters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You lost your inspiration
Clingin' to things that turn out wrong
Won't help a situation
Makin' me pay for the unhappy times
(That's bummer)
Maybe the moon night make you change your mind
Contact
Give yourself a bit of some prime time love
Don't fight
What feels right
You're lookin' in the face of prime time love
I know she left you cold
That's why you need protection
Buyin' the lies that you were sold
Keeps you from true affection
Why waste your nights on tryin' to find
Someone better
Baby, my arms are gonna be so kind
Repeat (*)
Trust is the answer
That's how it starts
I'll take my chances
This one's from the heart
Repeat (*)
The song "Prime Time Love" by The Carpenters is a love song encouraging the listener to let go of their inhibitions and take a chance on love. The lyrics suggest that the listener has been playing it safe for too long, causing them to lose their inspiration and cling to things that ultimately fail. The singer urges the listener to stop making them pay for past unhappy times, and instead, embrace the possibility of a meaningful and true affection.
The songwriter suggests that the listener may have been hurt in the past, perhaps by a former lover. The singer acknowledges that the listener may feel the need to protect themselves from future pain, but warns that buying into falsehoods will only prevent them from finding genuine connection. Instead, the singer offers themselves as an option, saying that they will be kind and loving to the listener.
In the chorus, the singer encourages the listener not to fight what feels right and embrace the possibility of "prime time love." The song presents love as a risky but ultimately rewarding endeavor that requires trust from both parties. The song’s melody and Karen Carpenter’s beautiful voice, add to the emotive impact of the lyrics, which heavily deals with themes of trust, heartbreak and the risks of love, and encourages the listener to take a chance.
Line by Line Meaning
Playing it safe so long
By avoiding taking risks or stepping outside their comfort zone for an extended period, they have lost their passion and creativity.
You lost your inspiration
Their hesitation and aversion towards new ideas have made them lack the motivation to create or pursue their goals.
Clingin' to things that turn out wrong
Holding onto past habits, beliefs, or relationships that proved to be unsuccessful is preventing them from moving forward in a more positive direction.
Won't help a situation
Continuing these unfavorable patterns will only make things worse for them and those around them.
Makin' me pay for the unhappy times
Their poor decisions or choices in the past are negatively affecting the artist, possibly through emotional or financial burden.
(That's bummer)
The situation feels depressing and unpleasant for the singer.
Maybe the moon night make you change your mind
The singer suggests that a change of heart may occur due to the romantic and dreamy nature of the moon, which could inspire the subject to be more open-minded and spontaneous.
So don't hold back
The artist encourages the subject to stop being hesitant, fearful, or unresponsive to their advances.
Contact
The artist is requesting that the subject reach out or initiate communication with them to initiate a relationship.
Give yourself a bit of some prime time love
They should allow themselves to enjoy high-quality, genuine love and attention, which might be in front of them but unseen due to their past experiences.
Don't fight
The singer suggests that the subject should not resist or hesitate to pursue the feelings they have and instead fully embrace them.
What feels right
The artist recommends focusing on their instincts and emotions by pursuing what feels genuine and natural to them.
You're lookin' in the face of prime time love
The singer asserts assertively that the subject is in the midst of an excellent opportunity for love, which they should not let go waste.
I know she left you cold
The singer is aware that the subject has been disappointed or hurt in the past by someone else, leading them to be distant or cautious.
That's why you need protection
The subject is requiring safeguarding themselves because they wish to avoid similar disappointment in the future.
Buyin' the lies that you were sold
Advice or information given that was not completely accurate has been accepted and relied on by the subject, leading to frustration and disillusionment.
Keeps you from true affection
These falsehoods are prohibiting the subject from genuine, meaningful relationships.
Why waste your nights on tryin' to find
They shouldn't waste their time looking for something more when a lovely thing is in front of them.
Someone better
The singer is convinced that the subject is not going to find someone nicer or better than the singer and shouldn't waste their nights chasing after something that is not going to happen.
Baby, my arms are gonna be so kind
The artist's embrace will be genuinely warm and caring, representing an opportunity for the subject to experience their love.
Trust is the answer
The artist conveys that trust is the key to the beginning of any meaningful relationship, particularly one suited to the subject.
That's how it starts
The journey to love requires trust as a foundation, particularly after a rocky past.
I'll take my chances
The singer is telling the subject that they are willing to take the risk to enter into a relationship with them, despite any potential uncertainties or difficulties that may arise.
This one's from the heart
The subject can trust that the artist's sincerity in their advances comes from their true emotional feelings and desires, not just from a place of loneliness or malice.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANNY IRONSTONE, MARY TILLIE UNOBSKY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
J Parker
on Happy
Wrong lyrics shown. Correct ones --- Happy by Carpenters
I've played the game of love before.
Too young to know
How hard the fall could be;
I never thought I'd try again.
Somehow you brought
The gambler out in me.
You can deal me in this time around.
Even though the odds are high,
We'll play them down.
You may be a chance I need to take,
And the hand I'm holdin' says it's no mistake.
Happy is the way I'm feelin',
And I know it comes from being with you.
All at once my life is changin',
And I know it's 'cause I'm fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love.
Fallin' in love with you.
If this is luck then let it ride.
If it's the starts,
They're surely on my side.
I've never been so safisfied
By love before;
For all the times I've tried.
These beginnings could mean more
Than the brief affair I bargained for.
Little did I know, when we began,
That my time had come to win a hand.
Happy is the way I'm feelin',
And I know it comes from being with you.
All at once my life is changin',
And I know it's 'cause I'm fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love.
Fallin' in love with you.
Please forgive me if I seem
To be walking through a waking dream.
Laughter never came so easily;
There's a freedom here that's new to me.
Happy is the way I'm feelin',
And I know it comes from being with you.
All at once my life is changin',
And I know it's 'cause I'm fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love with you.
Fallin' in love.
Fallin' in love with you.